Spiritual Gifts What Every Christian Should Know…

Spiritual Gifts  1 Corinthians 12:1 – Now about the gifts of the Spirit brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.  Why?  Because it is impossible for the church to be built up faithfully and effectively unless believers understand AND exercise their spiritual gifts.  UNDERSTAND  EXERCISE

UNDERSTAND  Spiritual Gifts are divine enablements for ministry that the Holy Spirit gives in some measure to all believers and that are to be completely under HIS control and used for the church to glorify Christ. (John McAurther)  Any ability used through faith to strengthen others faith  Spiritual – from the Spirit  Gift- something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance.

Other Gifts found in Scripture…  John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that HE gave his only begotten Son…  Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Acts 2:38 – Peter replied “Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:1-6  Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I want you to know that no who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.  There are many different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11  Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Unity & Diversity  1 Corinthians 12:12-20

Understanding Spiritual Gifts….  Different  GIVEN by the Holy Spirit  Complete…just like the Trinity  Specific and placed by God  Critical to the common good of THE BODY

Exercising our Spiritual Gifts Romans 12:6-8  We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

The 2 list are different…  “The fact that the 2 list differ clearly implies the gifts are like a palette of basic colors from which God selects to blend a unique hue for each disciple’s life.” (J. McArther)

Romans 12:3-5; 12:9-10  For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others…  Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

1 Corinthians 13: 1-3  If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Exercise Your SG…  Just Do It!  Wrap it in love and humility  Be completely under the control of the Holy Spirit

Matthew 25:14-30  Talents not distributed evenly  Expectation of the master – INVEST and Growth  What happened when they did invest – It multiplied  What’s the master’s response – Well done!  What happens when you bury your talent – taken from him